Hiding your emotions behind e-mail (idea)

This is getting ridiculous. It seems that people are avoiding dealing with their emotions more and more by use of e-mail.

Of course, e-mail resolves all of the issues that we face when we've planned out an important conversation in our head, and some outside force causes it to go wrong. Of course we can say exactly what we mean to say, and not have to worry that a ringing phone or roommate walking by will ruin the message the recipient receives. Of course e-mail allows the perfect, well thought-out wording to be passed on without flaw ... but leaves out the most important part -- the emotion.

What the hell am I talking about?
This morning I received an e-mail from a very good friend telling me that her roommate was killed the night before. I still don't know the logistics of this -- car accident? I don't know. She could have called me at home or at work, but instead, she took the easiest route of writing me an e-mail. I'm sure she is very emotional right now and knows that she would break-down when she heard my voice ... but still. This was a completely inappropriate use of e-mail.

On a lighter, but still serious, side ...
I know of many people who are using e-mail to ask others out on dates, I know of one woman who broke up with her long-term boyfriend via e-mail, I know of another woman who used e-mail to tell my friend that "she needed more space" in their relationship.

In this age where we rely so heavily on electronic communication, there are certain subjects that should really be left for face to face conversations, or at the very least, over the phone when this is not possible.

How can you end a relationship this way, either? It seems so cheating of you. You've been in this relationship for how long? and now, you sneak out, use a messenger, avoid showing your emotions at all costs.

And then there's just plain, damn inappropriate, like the message I received today. I understand that this was easier for her, but she did not realize how much it affected me. It brings up a million questions that I can't have answered immediately, it makes me panic, makes the air slam in all around me.

No, e-mail is not for everything. It is a wonderful tool, but it still just can't replace human interaction.